Pocket Knife Safety

The Safety Circle

Extend your arm straight out and turn to the left and turn to the right. This ensures you are a safe distance from other people or objects before you begin to use your pocket knife.

Opening a Pocket Knife

Hold the pocket knife in your left hand. Use your right thumbnail to pull the knife blade open using the nail slot. Continue to hold the blade with your right thumb and fingers until the blade locks open.

Closing a Pocket Knife

Hold the knife handle in your left hand with your fingers safely away from the blade slot. Push the blade of the knife toward the closed position with your right hand's fingers. Ensure your left hand's fingers are "pinching" the knife handle and not over the blade slot. Continue to push the knife blade toward the handle until it snaps closed.

Whittling

Always whittle away from yourself. Sit down with your legs slightly spread, allowing you to rest your arms on your knees and enabling you to whittle away from your body. Always whittle away from yourself and never press your thumb on the back of the blade.

Maintaining a Pocket Knife

Keep your knife clean, dry and sharp all the time. Do not use a knife on things that can damage or dull the blade. Keep your knife sharp. A pocket knife is a much safer and useful tool when it is kept sharp and clean.

Sharpening a Pocket Knife

Use a wet stone to sharpen your knife. Push the knife across the stone holding it at a 10- to 15-degree angle. Imagine "slicing" a thin layer off of the top of the stone. This will remove small amounts of metal from the blade at the angle you are holding the knife. Turn the knife over and repeat the process equally for both sides of the blade.